Should Kirby Puckett be in the HOF?

[Omar 382]

It was brought up in the Ichiro/Lofton thread. I don't think so. I think a lot of people sympathize with him because he had his career short, and they think if he continued to play he would have put up HOF numbers. I disagree. In his final three seasons, he put up WAR's of 0.3, 3.1, and 2.1. He would have been 36 in his next season. It's not like he was 25 and putting up Trout numbers and got hurt. He honestly may have put up another 4 WAR if his career played out normally.

Let's look at how his actual career was. The average JAWS of HOF LF is 57.8 b/wins. Puckett's was at 44.2 bWAR. He only put up a 122 wRC+ with a .366 wOBA and was sporadic defensively. He's not the worst player to be inducted, but he is pretty bad, IMO.

Honestly, I think playing for one team, winning two championships, being loved, and his condition is the only reason he got in. Ironically, he did have some bad incidents after his induction that may have hurt his chances if brought to light earlier.

 

[calsnowskier]

The non-baseball stuff makes this a tough discussion.

Imagine trying to discuss OJ's induction into the football HOF after '94. (granted, Puckett's issues are not to the scale of OJ, but it is the same idea)

 

[broncosmitty]

Yes

 

[MilkSpiller22]

This is a tough one... In the baseball mocks, I am known to be the Puckett hater...

But he was pretty damn good... Hit .300 or better 8 times in his career, was a 10 time All star...

He would not have made my HOF, but I have higher standards... But I also have no problem with him being in...

But I don't like his type of player... The I am good at everything, but I am not great at anything...

 

[navamind]

You've got those WARs mixed up. bWAR (BB-Ref's) rates him at 50.9. Fangraphs rates him at 44.9. Not that either of them are really HOF-caliber IMO. Puckett only had three years where he finished in the top 10 in OPS+ ('86, '88, '92). And though he has six Gold Gloves, he rates at -14 Total Zone Runs fwiw.

I'm curious as to how Puckett's 4.7 WAR/650 PA (per bb-ref) compares to the average HOFer.

 

[Omar 382]

You've got those WARs mixed up. bWAR (BB-Ref's) rates him at 50.9. Fangraphs rates him at 44.9. Not that either of them are really HOF-caliber IMO. Puckett only had three years where he finished in the top 10 in OPS+ ('86, '88, '92). And though he has six Gold Gloves, he rates at -14 Total Zone Runs fwiw.

I'm curious as to how Puckett's 4.7 WAR/650 PA (per bb-ref) compares to the average HOFer.

My bad

 

[tducey]

Not 1st ballot but eventually he should be.

 

[DragonfromTO]

Not 1st ballot but eventually he should be.

Quick tducey, get in the DeLorean! We'll get you to 2016 before things get too screwed up!

(Kirby was inducted in 2001 )

 

[RazorsEdge]

It's a close one for me, but i will go with yes, i'll allow it. He can stay.

 

[dougplayer]

Wife beater.

 

[navamind]

Wife beater.

Yeah, lol

In the early morning of October 3, 2009, police were called to the Cabreras' home and took Cabrera in for questioning. Cabrera had come home at 6:00am, after a night of drinking at the nearby Townsend Hotel, and got in an argument with his wife. He was seen later that day at a game at Comerica Park, with scratches on his face. Cabrera told reporters that the scratches came from his dog and refused to discuss the matter further.[87] It was later reported he had a blood alcohol level of .26 when tested.[88]

 

[broncosmitty]

Yeah, lol

I think Miggys wife likes to beat his ass when he's drunk.

Had never heard he hit her before.

Maybe, idk. We got lucky when the White Sox moved on from Ozzie Guillen. That fucker had a secret weapon ery series. Bacardi.

 

[Cedrique]

It was brought up in the Ichiro/Lofton thread. I don't think so. I think a lot of people sympathize with him because he had his career short, and they think if he continued to play he would have put up HOF numbers. I disagree. In his final three seasons, he put up WAR's of 0.3, 3.1, and 2.1. He would have been 36 in his next season. It's not like he was 25 and putting up Trout numbers and got hurt. He honestly may have put up another 4 WAR if his career played out normally.

Let's look at how his actual career was. The average JAWS of HOF LF is 57.8 b/wins. Puckett's was at 44.2 bWAR. He only put up a 122 wRC+ with a .366 wOBA and was sporadic defensively. He's not the worst player to be inducted, but he is pretty bad, IMO.

Honestly, I think playing for one team, winning two championships, being loved, and his condition is the only reason he got in. Ironically, he did have some bad incidents after his induction that may have hurt his chances if brought to light earlier.

There's your answer. I think if he had the same resume for 3 or 4 different teams he wouldn't be in. But he won the WS twice with a small market team

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

The HOF is full of guys that the voters "like" and Puckett is one of those guys. I don't think he even gets a sniff if he wasn't so popular. Don't get me wrong here. I loved watching Kirby play. But his numbers don't really stack up, the two championships notwithstanding. I think there are a lot of guys on the outside that the BBWAA don't like that are just as deserving if not more but it is what it is.

 

[SDPaddlefish]

The HOF is full of guys that the voters "like" and Puckett is one of those guys. I don't think he even gets a sniff if he wasn't so popular. Don't get me wrong here. I loved watching Kirby play. But his numbers don't really stack up, the two championships notwithstanding. I think there are a lot of guys on the outside that the BBWAA don't like that are just as deserving if not more but it is what it is.

Name a few.

 

[HammerDown]

The non-baseball stuff makes this a tough discussion.

Imagine trying to discuss OJ's induction into the football HOF after '94. (granted, Puckett's issues are not to the scale of OJ, but it is the same idea)

End of Thread.

Absolutely not.

 

[StanMarsh51]

Name a few.

I'd say Jim Edmonds, Bernie Williams and Larry Walker (although a RFer) are very comparable career-wise to Puckett.